Naming the Van?

[1sweetvan]

Is giving a name commonly associated with humans (Ely, George, etc.)to a van stricktly a VW tradition or a camper van thing?

Where does this practice originate?

 

[Sheep Shagger]

Where does this practice originate?

With idiots.
My van has 2 names depending on which set of friends I'm with, Cracker or Shamu, all of them are imbeciles.:sombrero:

Seriously, I first came across people using real names when I was in the Vdub crowd 25 years ago. But I'm sure the origins go back further than that.

 

[southpier]

it's only a step beyond assigning gender ....


but as long as the payments are on time

 

[AchillesBogart]

With idiots.
My van has 2 names depending on which set of friends I'm with, Cracker or Shamu, all of them are imbeciles.:sombrero:

Seriously, I first came across people using real names when I was in the Vdub crowd 25 years ago. But I'm sure the origins go back further than that.

Rosebud.

I had a white tercel wagon that I called Honky.

 

[teenwolf]

I call my vanagon "******** brick"..... its brown, built like a brick and well compare to other VWs I own/driven its one of the sh!ttier ones. But that's half the fun in owning it.

 

[Loopie]

I have three vans...known as The Green one, The Blue one and The Black one

 

[ihatemybike]

People have been naming inanimate objects since before written history. It's done for fun. If you don't want to name your van, don't worry about it.

I named vehicles as inspiration hits. Some names come quickly, some take a few years. I didn't name my 94 Astro for 5 years, then I bought my 2000 Astro, they became Red and Blue respectively. Blue was totaled and replaced with Green. Grumpy was purchased with body damage that made me think it was scowling and thus got it's name. Names also come in handy when you have multiples of the same vehicle. If I said something was in the van, the reply would be "which one". Using the names gets thing done quicker.

 

[stclair]

We've name our Syncro Westfalia "June", as in Junior. We have no kids, and it is our baby. Probably just as expensive as having a kid! Anyway, it makes us laugh, so that's all that matters.

 

[Stumpalump]

Mine is called the van. It seems to work pretty well around here.

 

[Lopracer]

I inadvertently named my van Lamont after Fred's son on Sanford & Son due to his rather junky apearence when I bought him, sometimes a name just fits, it's like a nick-name sometimes you just earn one, and sometimes you don't.

 

[Overland Hadley]

People have been naming inanimate objects since before written history. It's done for fun. If you don't want to name your van, don't worry about it.

I named vehicles as inspiration hits. Some names come quickly, some take a few years. I didn't name my 94 Astro for 5 years, then I bought my 2000 Astro, they became Red and Blue respectively. Blue was totaled and replaced with Green. Grumpy was purchased with body damage that made me think it was scowling and thus got it's name. Names also come in handy when you have multiples of the same vehicle. If I said something was in the van, the reply would be "which one". Using the names gets thing done quicker.

When a name is ready, it will come.

 

[That One Guy]

I got the idea from my cousin. He named his VDub.

 

[Ironhead]

Lets reserect this one.....

My son named my van Caroline the Econoline. He named the Subaru Pedro!

 

[Abitibi]

I like when it just fits.

My green '78 wesfalia was Wasabi.
My Mitubishi Delica running on WVO collected from Japanese restaurant was Mitsushi...

 

[ihatemybike]

Mitsushi, that makes me smile.